THEY OFFER TO SELL US STORES. 
453 
all parts of the world, turning over tlieir nimble sixpences 
or attempting to establish new forms of government over 
dilapidated states, — the same, in short, who, when last 
seen by us, were leaving the Japanese port of Ila-ko- 
da-di in high dudgeon at the authorities for refusing to 
let them land their cargo of “Yankee notions” and esta- 
blish a store at that port. They now pointed to an im- 
mense block-house, telling us that the Itussians had re- 
ceived them very kindly and given them the use of that 
building as a storehouse, and that, having landed all of 
their stores, &c., they had sent the Leveret on a whaling- 
voyage, and were now prepared to meet any reasonable 
calls upon their invoice. The Russians, they said, had 
bought every iJiing from them at a certain price, but left 
them at liberty to sell to others provided said others 
would pay higher. This we thought very liberal in the 
Russians, but indicative of higher prices than naval offi- 
cers on a thousand dollars a year would be likely to 
relish. But to return to Ayan and “old Frybark.” 
“Any coal in Ayan, Mr. Freighburg?” asked Lawton, 
as the jovial old fellow took two of us by the arm and 
urged us toward his house. 
“Any beef in Ayan, Mr. Freighburg?” asked the 
purser: “we’ve been living on fish until we’re getting 
scaly.” 
“Beef, yes! coal, no! But we have plenty of liquor. 
We will go to my house first and take ^twenty drops,’ after 
which we will talk about beef and coals. I suj^pose the 
whale-ships may have plenty of coals.” 
lie was a large and powerful man, — the most perfect 
ideal of a strong man, I think, that I ever saw, weighing 
